Life saving device



April 17, 1934- E. l. CARLBECK LIFE SAVING DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1932 m y i M ZW/ [M M f M Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved life saving device, and has for one of its principal objects the provision of means whereby drowning persons may be rescued even after they have sunk below the surface of the water and even though the water be of considerable depth.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a life saving element which enables searchers or life savers to immediately and accurately located a drowning person, even though the said drowning person has disappeared beneath the surface of the Waves.

Still another important object of the invention resides in the provision of a life saving device which is simplea-nd compact, and which, therefore, can be very readily placed on an ordinary bathing suit orthe like without interfering with the swimming or other activities of the wearer while at the same time the same is always available for immediate use in the event of an emergency.

Another and still further important object of the invention is to provide a life saving and body locating means which is worn on the person in a 25, convenient locality for immediate partial detachment, and which will then float on the surface of the water even though the body be immersed, thereby enabling an immediate location of the body by life savers or other searchers and allow- 30, ing of prompt recovery and resuscitation.

Still another and further important object of the invention is to provide a device which can be readily detached by a swimmer even under all conditions of fear, danger, physical discomfort 35, such as cramps, or the like; andwhich will be readily distinguishableon the surface of the water after such detachment while at the same time remaining firmly connected to the body of the user for recovery purposes.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved life saving device of this invention, showing the same as attached to a bathing suit or similar garment.

Figure 2 is a front elevation similar to Figure 1, showing the life saving element itself detached and illustrating particularly the means for such immediate detachment.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing particularly the life saving element itself, the means by which it is removably attached-to the garment, and the further extensible means which provides a permanent connection between the life saving device and the garment.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, illustrating particularly the quick detaching means and also showing the extensible connecting means whereby the .life saving device acts as a locating buoy for the body. I

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the life saving element, illustrating particularly the quick detachable mounting means.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, showing a modification of the mounting means Figure 7 is a detail view showing a modified form of fastening the extensible connecting ele ment to the body of the life saving device.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally the body' of the improved life saving device of this invention, the same being mountedon a bathing suit or the like 12, preferably immediately over the chest or stomach of the wearer, so that it may be readily grasped and detached in the event of an emergency. The grasping and detaching means preferably comprises an operating handle or the like 14 which forms an integral part of the body 10 of the device.

As best shown in Figure 3, the life saving device. itself is preferably composed of sponge rubber and is somewhat fiat in shape with a convexity becoming greatest at the central portion. The outline of the device may be substantially circular as shown or may be in any other shape such as rectangular or may assume other designs as preferred or such as might be considered more artistic.

The device itself is mounted by means of readily detachable fastening prongs or the like 16 upon a sheet of reinforced canvas or thelike 18 which is best shown in Figure 2 and which is stitched by means of a line of stitching 20 extending around the periphery thereof to the body of the bathing suit or other garment 12. The detachable mounting means may comprise prongs 16 as shown in Figures 3 and 5, or may comprise eyelets 22 as illustrated in Figure 6, the main object being the provision of a fastening means which can be readily detached by a single pull on the handle 14 whenever it is desired to remove the life saving device from the body of the garment itself.

The prongs 16 extend upwardly into the body 10 of the life saving device and are of such a shape and dimensions that they will cause no damage to the body when being inserted therein, or even after insertion and subsequent removal for a reasonable number of times although, of course, a large number of such fastening and removal operations is not contemplated due to the very nature of the invention itself. Those portions of the body 10 intowhich the prongs are adapted to extend are preferably of more solid rubber than the sponge material so that a better mounting results. The sponge material, however, is es sential as this renders the life saving device itself buoyant and assures its floating on the surface of the water inasmuch as a considerable amount of air is enclosed in the material of the sponge rubber structure. Retention of this air is assured by enclosing the sponge rubber filling with a casing or sheet of solid rubber whereby water cannot penetrate to the interstices of the sponge rubber.

Mounted in a suitable opening 26 in the body of the life saving device 10 is a length of strong tape or the like 28 which is folded into a small compass as best shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, and which, when extended, will assume a length of ten to fifteen or even twenty feet. The ends of this length of tape are fastened respectively one to the body of the life saving device 10 as best shown at 30 in Figure 4 and the other end is securely fastened to the sheet of canvas 18 as best shown at 32 in Figure 4, the sheet of canvas 18 being irremovably fastened to the bathing suit itself by the stitches 20 as aforesaid.

A modified form of such a fastening means is illustrated in Figure '7 whereby a metal ring or the like 34 is attached to the life saving device 10 by means of a suitable fastening tab 36 cemented to the rubber, and the end of the tape 28 is then looped around the metal ring 34 in somewhat the fashion shown in the figure, and then sewed into place whereby a renewable connection for the tape results, and which renewal sometimes be comes advisable in the event that the original tape has been subjected to repeated water soakings and may accordingly become somewhat unreliable.

In operation, the device is worn on the bathing suit, preferably over the chest or some other related portion of the anatomy, and being of small compass is never in the way, and does not interfere in any manner with the freedom of movement of the swimmer while at the same time it is always available for instant use. For example, a person finding himself out of his depth or seized with cramps, or in any other similar predicament can, while calling for assistance; simply pull the life saving device 10 away from its fastenings to the bathing suit, and the same will then float on the water while immediately providing a line of connection from the life saving device or buoy to the body of the person itself. Therefore, in the event of the person sinking before assistance arrives, the rescuers will immediately locate the body by means of the life saving device and can promptly draw the drowning person to the surface by means of the tape, thereby saving valuable time and effecting a prompt rescue, and the device will undoubtedly be the means of saving many lives. In order to insure prompt recovery, the life saving device itself will be of a conspicuous color such as white, red, or yellow or the like, which will be immediately distinguishable even in muddy, rough or turbid water, so that no valuable time will be lost.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

,1. A life saving device, including a buoy adapted to be releasably attached to the body of the wearer, and extensible means for connecting the buoy to the body of the wearer, said means comprising a length of tape normally folded into a small compass inside the body of the buoy, the buoy being of small and relatively flat dimensions, and composed of sponge rubber, and a handle integral with the buoy for enabling immediate detachment of same in emergency, the buoy being mounted on the bathing suit of the wearer, said mounting including a piece of canvas stitched to the bathing suit, and clip means for releasably attaching the buoy to the canvas.

2. A life saving device, including a buoy adapted to be releasably attached to the body of the wearer, and extensible means for connecting the buoy to the body of the wearer, said means comprising a length of tape normally folded into a small compass inside the body of the buoy, the buoy being of small and relatively flat dimensions, and composed of sponge rubber, and a handle integral with the buoy for enabling immediate detachment of same in emergency, the buoy being mounted on the bathing suit of the wearer, said mounting including a piece of canvas stitched to the bathing suit, and. clip means for releasably attaching the buoy to the canvas, said clip means comprising prongs adapted to penetrate the body of the device.

3. A life saving device, including a buoy adapt ed to be releasably attached to the body of the wearer, an extensible means for connecting the buoy to the body of the wearer, said means comprising a length of tape normally folded into a small compass inside the body of the buoy, the buoy being of small and relatively flat dimensions, and composed of sponge rubber, and a handle integral with the buoy for enabling immediate detachment of same in emergency, the buoy being mounted on the bathing suit of the wearer, said mounting including a piece of canvas stitched to the bathing suit, and clip means for releasably attaching the buoy to the canvas, said clip means including juxtaposed eyelet elements on the body and canvas strip respectively.

EINAR I. CARLBECK. 

